The field of the disclosure relates generally to detecting wind patterns, and more specifically, to methods and apparatus for detecting and predicting wind patterns associated with an airdrop.
Many times, aid is dispersed to areas in need of supplies via an airdrop from an aircraft. Often, these areas are located in developed areas, populated areas, or difficult terrain, which requires a precise drop in order for the cargo package to reach the intended recipient and without causing harm or damage. If the drop is incorrectly calculated, the cargo package could reach terrain problematic for retrieval (e.g., ocean and/or mountain). In order to successfully complete an airdrop on a predetermined target, it is necessary to know what the wind and other environmental conditions are in the vicinity of the target in close proximity to the area of the airdrop, specifically in the descent path. Wind travels at various speeds and directions, as well as being influenced by terrain and obstacles. It is thus desirable to monitor these environmental conditions immediately before and during a drop to correctly deliver the cargo package to the desired location.
Known systems for detecting wind speeds related to an airdrop include performing a flyover in which a test cargo package is dropped to measure and calculate the wind speeds and directions. However, in such a method the winds could change speed and direction from the time the test airdrop occurred until the time that the aircraft returns to the location for the actual payload drop, thus resulting in an inaccurate drop. As well, this approach causes extra fuel to be burned due to multiple passes and may expose the aircraft to added hazards of flight (e.g., terrain and/or other aircraft). Other systems of measuring wind speeds include detecting ambient dust particles using sensors, but such systems can be costly and/or bulky.